menefee



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

F. L. MBNEFEE.

CHECK BOW GORN PLANTBR AND MARKER.

No. 413,406.. Patented 001;. 22.1889.

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(No Model.)4 ,s sheets-sheet 2.

P. L. MENBPBB.

\ GHEGK ROW CORN PLANTER AND MARKER.

10.41.1406l Patented ont. z2, 1889.

IIHUHIIIUIII N. PETERS Pmmuwgrapher, wamingw. 0.a.'

I (Nomodel.) l 3 sheets-Sheen s.

` P. L. MBNEPEE.

CHECK-ROW GORN'PLANTBR AND MARKER.

No. 413,406. Patented Oct. 22, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN L. MENEEEE, or AURELIA, IOWA.,

CHECK-Row CORN PLANTER AND MARKER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of vLetters Patent No. 413,406, dated October 22, 1889.

Application led April 6, 1889. Serial No. 306,263. (No model.)

to admit of a Wire-reel being inserted thereon,

and whereby said bar may be revolved, and whereby the unwinding or taking up of the check-wire may be effected when desired.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described in the annexed specification 'and particularly pointedout in the claims.

As my improvements are connected with the rear or truck frame of the planter, and as they may be used in connection with any novel arrangement of seed-dropping devices, I have only shown so much Vof a planterframe as is necessary to clearly illustrate the operation of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of the truck-frame of a check- 'Y hereinafter referred to.

row corn-planter, showing the marking attachment in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view Fig. 4 is an end view of the marking bar and arm. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one end of the marker bar and arm. Fig. (i is a similar View showing said bar in connection with one of its bearings and the marking-arm in horizontal position. Fig. 7 is a perspective view i1lustrating the wire-reel in position on the marking-arm and the automatic wire-shifting devices secured in place on the frame of the machine. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A A denote the main frame, which is mounted upon the drive-wheels B B in the usual manner.

C denotes a gear-wheel secured upon the inner face of the hub of one of the wheels B, which engages a gear D on the outer end of a short shaft E, mounted in the frame A, and which is provided at its inner end with a adjusted to be both disengaged from the marking-bar K or be adjusted to alternately engage said bar in a manner as will be presently described.

The side beams of the frame A are extended, as at A2 A2, and form bearings A3 for circular disks L L, held to rotate in said bearings, which are each provided with a central squared aperture `L L', in which the markerba K is held to slide. Each of the disks L L is provided with a collar L2 on its outer face and a bevel-gear L3 on its inner face, by means of which they are prevented from lateral movement in their bearings, the bevelgear L3 being, however, also employed for an additional purpose, as will hereinafter be described. Each of the disks L L is also provided'with lateral outwardly-extending*open sockets Li L4, forming additional bearings for the sliding marker-bar and serving to automatically raise the marker-arms K when the bar `K is drawn in.

The disks `L L, which I have previously Y stated` are mounted to rotate in the bearings A3 A3, are, when the bar K is in operation for marking, held from rotation by a gravityy pawl 1l, adapted to engage a recess 12 in one of the Vcollars L2, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The shifting-lever I, previously referred to, and which is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, consists of the lever proper and the diverging arms I in which the ends of the shafts H H are journaled.

I2 denotes a segment provided with notches l 2 3, with which the lever I engages when adj usted in different positions.

The shafts H H are provided with universal couplings H2, as clearly shown in Fig. l, to

ICO

admit of their rear ends being moved in a the outer ends of the bar K, have secured to their lower ends the flexible markers K2, as most clearly shown in Fig.'5 of the drawings.

K3 Ks denote lifting-arms hinged to the under side of each end of the bar K, the outer free ends of which are forked, as at K4, and embrace the arms K The operation of the marking devices is as follows: The parts being in position, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and the machine traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow, and it is desired to change the marker from one side to the other, the driver swings the lever I so as to cause the wheel J to engage the bar K, which is provided on its under face with a cog-rack la. The lever is then set in engagement with the notch 3 of the segment. The cog-wheel J, which is caused to revolve in the direction shown by arrow by the drive-wheel and the intermediate gearing devices described, will cause the bar K to travel in the direction shown by arrow 6 until the cogwheel J engages a recess la formed in the lower face of the bar K, when it will cease to move the same forward.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that when the bar K is moved, as described, the marking-arm K at one end Will be raised by the lifting-arm K3 engaging the sockets L4 on vthe disks, and that the arrn K at the opposite end will fall into place.

To hold the arms K out of operative position when desired, I arrange a pivoted latch '7 to each arm K', which is adapted to engage a nut or keeper 8 on the end of the bar K, as clearly shown in Figs. 4L, 5,and 6 of the drawings.

To afford an additional means of preventing t-he bar from being moved too far, I provide near each end thereof a hinged stop 9, which will engage the outer sides of disks L when the recessed portions K K2 are over the cog-gears J J. Vhen it is desired to move the bar K in a direction opposite to the one described,'the lever I is shifted so as to bring the same into the notch 2 of the segment and cause the cog-wheel J to engage the rack K and thereby move the same into the direction shown by arrow IO, Fig. 2, until the wheel J engages the recess k2 in the bar, when it will cease to move the bar, as before described.

'From the foregoing it will be seen that the bar may be quickly and automatically shifted to either side by simply adjusting the lever I, and that the marking devices will also be automatically thrown in or out of operative position.

To facilitate the travel of the bar through the disks L L, I provide the same with friction-rollers `Z l, as shown at Fig. G. When it is desired to take up the check-wire, the marker-bar is adjusted in one of its outer positions, and the reel and the wire-shifting devices are secured in position, lsaid reel and shifting devices being clearly shown in operative position in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

When the reel attachments are employed,

the shifting-lever I is adjusted to the central notch l, and the cog-wheels JJ both thrown out of engagement with the bar K. The pawl ll is also thrown out of engagement with the notch l2, so as to permit of the disks L L being revolved.

Journaled in the frame A, adjacent to the disk L', is a short shaft a, arranged parallel with the shafts H H', which is provided with a bevel-pinion b, which engages the bevelgear L3, and a cog-pinion c on its opposite end, engaging an idle gear-wheel d, journaled on the frame, which meshes with a sliding gearwheel e mounted on the shaft H, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 3. The gear e rotates with the shaft H', and is moved out of engagement with the gear d when the bar K is used for marking. l

f denotes the reel, which consists of the hub portion g, provided with a central squared aperture h, and the reel portion z', which fits on the hub portion, as shown in Fig. 7. The hub g extends laterally to each side of the reel, and over said extended portions pass spring-plates j j, which are secured at one end to the sides of the reel t', and which have their outer ends adjustably connected by means of the thumb-screw lr6. The object of providing -the spring-plates j will be described farther In adjusting the reel in position the same is slid onto the bar K and held thereto by means of the set-screw m, passing through a lip or projection m on the hub-section and engaging the bar K.

N denotes the automatic device for moving the wire into proper position while it is being wound up on the reel. Said device consists of a skeleton frame which is detachably secured to one end of the frame A, in which is mounted a vertical shaft n, providedwith a bevel-gearn at its lower end, adapted to engage the bevel-gear L3 on the disk L, said ICO IIO

frame and shaft being suitably braced in position by the brace-bar 0, as shown.

O denotes a bracket projected laterally from the frame N, in which is journaled a gear-wheel P, which meshes with a worm Q on the shaft n.

Disposed in front of the gear-wheel P and adapted to reciprocate backward and forward in bearings formed by a bracket s on the frame N, and in outwardly-projecting arms t secured thereto, is a rod S, which is provided with a projecting stud S', adapted to engage with a cam-groove R in the front face of the gear-wheel P, as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The outer end of the rod S is connected to a swinging arm U, pivoted to a circular bracket T, fixedl on the outer' ends of the arms t t, the lower end of which is forked at U U and provided with friction-rollers u, as shown. The lower end engages the wire in a manner clearly understood by reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings.

V denotes a brace-rod provided with a when the strain of said rod'is forward, the forward end of Lsaid rod engaging the frame, as shown. The rod V is also provided with loop c at said end, which engages the bar K when the strain is in a rearward direct-ion.

When the reel is adjusted in position to take up the wire, as shown in Fig. 7, the end of the wire will be passed over the reel and secured thereto. els in the forward direction, the intermediate gearing devices will be revolved by the drivewheel B and the cog wheel C in the directions indicated by the arrows, thereby revolving the disks L L and the bar K, which in turn' Y will revolve the reel in the rearward direction, and thereby wind up the wire. During this operation the wire-shifting devices will be operated by the bevel-gear L3 on the disk L and cause the swinging arm U to gradually move back and forth 4in front of the reel and j shift the wire so the same will be evenly wound on the reel.

It will, of course, be understood the several gearing devices are so adjusted in relation to each other that the reel will revolve at the proper speed to gradually take up the wire during the continued movement forward `of the planter. The shifting devices are also so adjusted that they will feed back and forth as the wire iills up on the reels in layers. As the wire iills up` the reel and one layer has been wound thereon, it will be observed that the mean diameter of the reel will have been increased, and that the wire will then wind up at a faster speed. As it, however, is necessary that the saine should always wind thereon at the same degree of speed, I form the reel of two sections or portions, as before stated.

By the said construction of reel it will be seen that should the wire exert any increased tension on the reel the reel portion proper will slip backward on the hub portion and thereby equalize the take-up speed of the reel. The friction of the reel on the hub portion may be adjusted by the spring-plates j j. When it is desired to unwind the Wire to place same in position-in the field, the reel is inserted onthe rod K so the wire Will feed out from the under side thereof. When the reel is adjusted in this position, the strain on the bar will be rearward, andthe braceloar V will be hooked over the bar, as before stated, to relieve the said bar from strain.

It will be understood that the reel and the Wire-shifting devices may be adjusted to operate on either side of the machine.

In adjusting my improvements to a planterframe of ordinary construction I provide detachable metal bearings A6, which are secured to the frame A in the manner clearly shown in Fig.l 8 of the drawings, and which form the bearings for the circular disks L.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation and advantages of my improvements will be readily understood. It will be seen lthat the same may readily be adjusted to the truckf Now, when the planter travframes of corn-planters, and the operation thereof is exceedingly simple.

Having thus described my invention, whatl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

mounted thereon, and detents for holding said disks from turning, of a marking-bar jour- 3. The combination, with the main frame,

naled in said disks, the extended end therel of adapted to receive and support a wire-reel, said gear surfaces of the revolving disks IOO adapted to engage and operate )vire-shifting disks, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the main frame and the drive-wheels, of a reciprocating mark- .er-bar held to slide in the rear end of said frame, shafts mounted at one end `to the devices, and means for operating the said frame, the rear ends journaled in movable j bearings, cog-gears mounted on the said rear IIO ends adapted to alternately engage the marking-bar, a shifting-lever for adjusting said shafts and gears into said alternate positions,

and intermediate gearing devices between said shafts and one of the drivewheels,where by said shafts are operated, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

6. The combination, with the main frame, the drive-wheels, and bearings provided at the ends of said frames, having outwardlyextending open sockets, of a reciprocatingmarker-bar held to slide in said bearings,

Y into position by. gravity and to be raised out of operative position by engagement with the said extending sockets,and intermediate gearing devices, substantially as shown and described, between the marker-.bar and one ofthe drive-wheels for operating vsaidbar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. TheV combination, with the main frame and the drive-wheels, of a reciprocating marker-bar K, provided with marking devices at each end, said bar held to slide transversely in the rear ends Ag A2 of said frame, said bar provided with a cog-rack 7c on its under face, longitudinal shafts H H', journaled atV their front ends in the frame, gear-wheels J J', secured upon their rear ends, a shifting-lever I, pivoted upon the main frame, provided with depending diverging arms I' I', forming bearings for the rear ends of said shafts H H', said lever adapted to alternately swing the gears into engagement with the rack 7c on the marking-bar K, and the intermediate gear devices between said shafts H H' and one of the drive-wheels, whereby said shafts are operated, substantially as shown and described.

S. The combination, with the main frame and bearings formed in the rear ends thereof, provided with outwardly extended socket projections, of a marker-bar held to slide in said bearings transversely across the frame, marker-arms hinged to the outer ends of said bar and carrying markers at their lower ends, and swinging arms hinged at one end to the lower side of the marker-bar, their outer ends engaging the hinged marker-arms, said swinging arms adapted to rise and elevate the marker-arms when they engage the project-ing socket portions of the bearings during the operation of sliding said bar from one side to the other and adapted to fall by gravity when released from contact with said projections, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination,with'the main frame A, the drive-wheels B, the longitudinal shafts II Il', provided with articulated joints H2, journaled at one end in the frame A, provided with cog-wheels J J attheir rear ends, ashifting-lever I, pivoted on the main frame, provided with depending divergin g arms I', forming bearings for the rear ends of the shafts II l-I, and intermediate gearing devices between said shafts and one of the drive-wheels, as shown, and the bar K,.provided with marking devices at each end, held to slide transversely in the rear end of the frame A, said bar provided with a rack 7c on its under side, recesses k' 702, disposed one at each end of the rack portion, said bar adapted to be .alternately engaged by the cog-wheels J J', said wheels adapted to engage with either of said recesses k' 7a2 when the bar is slid to its limit in either direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.

l0. The combination, with the main frame provided at its rear end with bearings A3, of a marker-bar K, held to slide transversely in said bearings, arms K', hinged on each end of said bar, lifting-arms K3, hinged to the nucleiside of the eil/ls of said bar, said arms K3 -engaging the arms K' and adapted t0 elevate the saine when raised up, a swinging latch 7, secured to the arms K3, and studs 8 on the ends of the bar K, adapted to engage said latch to hold said arms K K3 in elevated position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

FRANKLIN L. MENEFEE. Witnesses:

ROBERT MENEFEE, CLARK MENEFEE 

